Artifice
by Scyphi
Summary: The princesses of Equestria have long been on this quest, searching long and hard and in secret. Unfortunately, what they are searching for does not want to be found, especially not by them.


Artifice

It was another ordinary day for the citizens of Pinzgauer, the capital of the distant and mountainous Noriker Empire. It's populace of spotted ponies wandered the cobbled streets calmly and happily, going about carrying out their various chores, running and operating storefronts, grocery shopping, or directing about the group of tourists that had come in that morning, here to enjoy the famous views and picturesque terrain Pinzgauer was known to have.

Among that group was a hooded blue mare, somewhat taller than the others around her, that unfortunately was not here for the view as much as she wanted to be. Instead, she was here strictly on business of the most sensitive sort. The average citizen was not to know about her true reasons for being here. Hence the hood and an overall quiet demeanor…which wasn't actually so hard to maintain as she had plenty of cause to be quiet as of late.

Either way, no one was not to realize that Equestria's princess of the night walked among them.

But Luna was trying not to dwell on that and instead was trying to assist at her task where she could. While the other tourists went about asking for directions to their hotel, advice on where to find the best sightseeing spots, or suggestions on what foreign dishes they should try while they were here, Luna went about searching for new leads for the quest. Unfortunately, continuing what had become the trend, she was getting nowhere fast. Every pony she stopped to cryptically inquire, indirectly coaxing for certain telltale details, usually knew nothing. Often she would merely get odd looks to her questions and some would shoo her away when she kept pressing for any details at all. A number of the spotted Noriker natives would suggest she seek audience with their alicorn leaders, Emperor Otto himself and his faithful wife, Queen Elmar. However, she was under strict orders not to get any political leaders involved in this affair, and Luna knew there wasn't much point; Emperor Otto was presently out conducting a prolonged diplomatic mission in Saddle Arabia—part of the whole reason she was here _now_ and not at a different time—and Queen Elmar was famously known for being extremely reclusive and seldom seen in public and would only turn away visitors.

Thus she moved on, covering as much of the city as she reasonably could, in hopes that her luck would change and that the desired new lead would emerge. It, of course, never did. She wasn't surprised. After months of searching from Equestria to here, it would have been too easy if it had. They were lucky to have even gotten this far, given what very little they knew. But then again, that was why she and her compatriots were out here in the first place; _because_ they knew so little and hoped to uncover answers to their questions. Unfortunately, it looked like they would keep on knowing little today.

Finally it reached noon, and Luna paused in her search to head off to a small café located near the town center. Seated at one of the far tables where they would be less likely to be observed or overheard were two other mares waiting for her, also hooded and attempting to keep a low profile like her…for the same reasons as Luna.

"Did you find anything?" Celestia, the closest, asked softly when Luna sat down to join them.

Luna shook her head. "No," she stated simply and left it at that. There wasn't anything else to really say on the matter. Nothing was nothing.

Celestia sighed and hung her head, poking at the lunch she had ordered. "We had no better luck, either."

"I hate to say it, but we're getting nowhere with this," the shortest and youngest of the trio, Twilight Sparkle, remarked reluctantly but thoughtfully. "Everything has led to a dead end, and we've been operating off of pretty much _nothing_ since the beginning." She bit her lip and ran her purple hoof aimlessly along the edge of their table. "The truth remains unfound and we still have just as many questions unanswered as when we began, with little to show for it."

"I am not giving up," Celestia stated with firm immediacy. "We _will_ get to the bottom of this, one way or another."

Luna hesitated for a moment. "Are you really confident of that?" she asked finally. "I do not wish to be the pessimist here, but… realistically we could be searching for decades and still find nothing."

"I _will_ find her," Celestia vowed again, unswayed.

"And yet she remains hidden," Twilight remarked. "Look, I want to find her too, but it's almost as if she just… _vanished_ without a trace."

"It is because she does not _want_ to be found, and certainly not by the likes of us," Luna stated with confidence, one of the few things on the matter that she could state so. "We can be sure of that much."

Celestia stared at her plate for a long moment and didn't say anything. They knew what she wanted to say anyway though, as she had stated it repeatedly enough before.

Twilight poked at her own food in thought for a moment and shared a glance with Luna. Though it pained them to do it and didn't want to admit it as fervently as Celestia wanted to deny it as a possibility, they both knew what needed to be said. But neither of them wanted to be the one to do it.

Finally, without warning, Twilight was the one who spoke up. "Celestia," she began, placing a reassuring hoof on that of her former mentor's and now equal. "We don't want to give up either…but we can't keep at this forever. We've been gone for months now, longer than we had originally planned. And while I'm sure Cadance has things in hoof back home, she is probably beginning to wonder what is keeping us and is going to start asking questions soon, if she hasn't started already." She paused. "And you were the one who wanted to keep this secret from her."

Celestia heave a heavy sigh again and closed her eyes. "I know."

"And as much as I want to support you in your determination," Twilight continued, "I have to agree with…" she started to motion to Luna, but hesitated. Luna raised her eyebrows at her, knowing what she was thinking. She wasn't surprised when Twilight opted to leave the statement unfinished and instead rephrase it. "…the point is that we could be doing this search for a long time when we still have duties to attend to back home. Getting to the bottom of this is important to _all_ of us, but we still shouldn't neglect our responsibilities because of it. And…" she bit her lip again before continuing. "…maybe taking a… _reprieve_ …would be helpful. Give us a chance to step back and figure out what we're missing." She looked at Celestia with a hopeful grin for a moment. "Right?" When she got no response, she turned to Luna and did the same. "Right?"

Luna opted not to answer and instead chose to address Celestia directly. "Celestia," she began, "I know you want answers. You know that, because you know I want just as many as you, if not more still. We…we simply want you to recognize that…maybe…they will not be coming anytime soon. We may have to accept that, and continue on with that in mind." She reached across the table and lifted Celestia's chin with one hoof. "Understand?"

Celestia looked at Luna for a long moment with a sad expression. "Just…give it a little longer?" she asked hopefully. "Please? I'm…I'm not ready to…to…" she wasn't able to finish the statement.

Luna removed her hoof, and with a moment's hesitation, sighed and nodded her head. Twilight glanced at her, looking like she was about to object, but Luna gazed firmly in her direction, silently pleading. Twilight averted her gaze and kept her silence. They proceeded on in silence for a few moments. Twilight started to work at eating her lunch, but she was nibbling at it very half-heartedly. She noticed suddenly that of the three princesses, Luna was the only one who did not have a plate of her own.

"Would you like to order something too?" she asked Luna suddenly.

Luna, who had been staring at her hooves, glanced up suddenly, grinned politely but without feeling and shook her head. "I am fine," she said.

Twilight nodded in understanding and went back to picking at her own meal.

"So…where to from here?" Luna finally asked after another lull of silence. "We have not made any further progress here like we hoped."

"I do not know," Celestia admitted. "I do not understand it, though. I thought for sure we _would_ find something here. All of the leads we have pointed _here_ , to Pinzgauer. Shouldn't there be _something_ to find here?"

"Perhaps it has been a false trail," Luna suggested realistically. It would not have surprised her.

But Celestia shook her head. "This feels right," she insisted. "I…don't know how to explain it."

Luna looked at her hooves again, wondering if there was some way she could explain it herself. But then she noticed Twilight was looking around at the street the café sat on, a puzzled expression on her face.

"Something the matter, Twilight?" she inquired, furrowing her own brow.

Twilight looked at her, frowning. "Has anypony recognized any of you?" she asked.

Celestia and Luna exchanged looks.

"I have been very cautious to insure that has not happened, Twilight," Celestia remarked. "It would not help us any if the citizens here discovered that three alicorns from Equestria were wandering amongst them in secret."

"But did any of them recognize you?" she insisted with growing urgency.

"I am confident that no one recognized me, and I, too, have been cautious to insure it stay that way," Luna assured the smaller alicorn. "I have endeavored to keep my face mostly hidden and have worn this cloak the whole time I have been here. The most identifying trait anypony has seen of me is my horn." She motioned one hoof to the long blue horn that rose from her forehead. "And I have kept my wings concealed the whole time as well." And they were starting to become cramped from disuse, but she did not see a need to tell Twilight this. "I am certain Celestia has been doing the same. Have you not as well?"

"I have," Twilight stated in her defense.

"Then what is the problem?"

"Just the fact that there seems to be a lot of the Noriker royal guards standing around, looking at us."

Luna and Celestia exchanged glances then proceeded to look around at their surroundings and realized Twilight was right. They were standing inconspicuously in various places up and down the street they were on, where they wouldn't be immediately noticed. But sure enough, there were several guards serving the Noriker Empire positioned about, standing out from the rest of the ponies with their distinctive green uniforms. And they were all looking in their direction.

They were all just coming to the same conclusions when one of the guards suddenly approached their table. "Excuse me," he said politely but firmly. "I must apologize for interrupting your meal, but I am here to escort you to the castle."

The three mares looked at him for a long moment. "May I ask why?" Celestia inquired.

"I have orders from Prince Diamant himself," the guard explained smartly. "He has requested your audience with him."

"The heir to the Noriker throne?" Twilight repeated, surprised. She looked at her companions, with a furrowed brow. "What does he want with us?"

Celestia wasn't interested in finding out. "Please give the prince our good wishes," she said, "but we will have to decline his invitation."

"I'm afraid it wasn't a request," the officer stated.

The three mares exchanged glances again. Celestia's expression turned stern. "I see."

"Please come quietly with us," the guard continued. He glanced around and then leaned closer. "Given the nature of your presence, I am certain you do not wish to make a scene, your highnesses."

Again, glances were exchanged. Both Twilight and Luna looked to Celestia with expressions that read " _how did they discover us?_ "

Celestia did not return the glances and instead stared at the officer long and hard. For a moment, it looked like she _was_ about to make a scene, but after taking in a deep breath, she nodded. "I suppose we don't, _do we?_ " she said darkly before rising, nodding at each of her compatriots in turn. "Come along, you two," she said. "Apparently we're going to meet the prince."

Luna and Twilight rose from their own seats, reluctant, and followed the officer as he led the way through the streets to the proud castle standing in the distance. They traveled in silence. It was not missed by all three of the Equestrian princesses in disguise that the further they went, the more they noticed there were more members of the Noriker guards joining the procession, following from a distance, watching their every move. They were clearly suspecting that the princesses might try something if given the chance.

And they weren't wrong. But the officer was right too; they didn't really want to make a scene.

Soon they arrived at the castle and were granted immediate entrance through its arching gates without even having to slow their trots.

This surprised Twilight somewhat. "Not going to keep us waiting?" she asked. "No checking of schedules, issuing passes, or anything?"

"The prince wishes to see you three immediately," the officer leading them explained curtly.

"Of course he does," Celestia muttered aloud. It was clear she was not pleased by this whole development.

They marched on through the towering and quiet Nickertorian-style hallways of the castle, and it was not long before they were brought into the high-vaulted gathering room, on one end of which was an impressive staircase leading up to a tall window before it branched off to form adjacent balconies running along either side of the room leading to more chambers. Standing at the window however, already turned to face them and expecting them as promised, was the young prince himself, one of the few alicorns-from-birth in the world. He stood proud and tall, making his otherwise lanky and teenaged body appear domineering. He wore a long robe that draped over his rump and hind legs, covering his cutie mark, but corresponded with his midnight fur and slate gray mane well. Both were faintly speckled, far less than most Noriker ponies, with spots of a darker still gray. A simple silver circlet adorned his brow. All in all, he was an impressive figure of royalty.

But Prince Diamant watched his guests with stern gaze, his snout upturned so to appear as if he was looking down at them as they bowed respectively before him. It was not helped by the fact that as he stood at the top of the staircase, he was higher up than them. He was clearly displeased. Luna noticed Celestia, even though she had bowed respectively like the rest of them, had locked her eyes onto the prince and was fervently returning the disapproving gaze. At the back of her head, Luna worried greatly that this meeting would not end well. She knew Celestia was already under a lot of stress from their journeying and lack of success, enough that she was undoubtedly reaching a dangerous breaking point. This might be enough to push her over the edge.

"Your guests as requested, your majesty," the officer that had brought them here announced, addressing his superior.

"Thank you," Diamant stated in a calm voice. "Leave us, please, I wish to speak to them in private."

The officer nodded and trotted back out the room, the doors being closed behind him. The moment they had thudded shut, the prince turned his full attention to the three hooded mares.

"I apologize for the disruption," he began formally. "But it was important we address this before this matter got on much further."

"With respect, Prince Diamant," Celestia began. "I do not see what you want with three lowly travelers and visitors to your great land. We were simply trying to—"

"Please, Princess Celestia, you are not fooling anyone in this castle," the prince said, proceeding down the stairs at a deliberate pace of one step at a time. "I know who you three are."

Celestia straightened. "Surely then you are merely wishing to acknowledge our presence as political envoys to your land, then?" she inquired, playing the diplomat card.

"Normally, I would be, and happy to do so," the prince admitted, sounding almost apologetic. "But I also know _why_ you are here."

A moment of silence fell as three stared at the prince and the prince gazed back at them.

"You do?" Twilight finally asked, sounding skeptical. "How? It's not as if we've been obviously broadcasting our intentions here." She motioned to the cloaks all three of them wore, hiding their figures.

The prince grinned sadly. "It wasn't hard to see the pattern from the questions I've heard you've been going around asking," he explained. He straightened suddenly and changed tones. "I'm afraid, though, that what you are looking for is not here. Thus there is little point in your staying here any longer. As the next train to Equestria will not arrive until tomorrow morning, I have prepared a suite here in the castle you may spend the night in until the morn, and then—"

"We are not just going to _leave_ ," Celestia interrupted in a very uncharacteristic manner.

" _Celestia_ ," Luna whispered to her harshly, as word of warning.

"Princess Celestia," the prince said with a sad sigh. "Please do not make me have to make it an order. I am not trying to be your enemy here. But do understand, you are in _our_ land. Thereby, you will need to adhere to _our_ rules. Now, I have brought you here as guests, and I would like to be able to keep it that way. I'd even invite you to join me for dinner this evening, but unfortunately I have pressing business to attend to that your unexpected arrival is disrupting. But do try and enjoy your stay. My servants will see to it that you are settled in. Again, your train arrives in the morning. Good afternoon."

He turned and proceeded to go back up the stairs, but Celestia stepped forward, fuming inwardly.

"We are perfectly capable of leaving Noriker on our own power, Prince Diamant," she pointed out. "So let us address the _real_ matter you brought us here; why will you not permit us to continue our search?"

The prince paused on the stairs for a moment, as if debating how to respond. Finally, he glanced back at her and replied "As I already said, you will not find what you're looking for here." He resumed climbing the stairs.

Celestia wasn't finished. "Then what harm is there in letting us go about and finding that out for ourselves?" she demanded.

The prince didn't answer and instead reached the top of the stairs where he pulled a bell rope running along one of the staircase's supporting pillars. A small bell was heard ringing somewhere and two servants promptly entered the room and bowed.

"Show our guests to their rooms," the prince commanded gently. "Make sure they are comfortable." He gazed firmly at the three. "But they are not to be permitted to leave unsupervised."

He then exited the room himself while the servants stepped forward and waited expectantly on the three mares. Luna and Twilight then looked expectantly at Celestia, wondering what she would do. Celestia glared at the spot the prince had stood for a long moment, then snorted impolitely in his general direction before turning and permitting herself to be escorted back out of the room by the servants. The other two princesses followed.

As promised, they were led to a pleasant looking suite deep inside the castle, which had a lovely view of the courtyard outside in addition to being very plush and well-decorated, fitting for the three princesses, and spilt off into a number of separate sleeping chambers, enough for one apiece and then some. But the moment they were led inside and the door closed behind them, all three of them were thinking of calling it what it _actually_ was. They tried to get settled in what was pretty much their cell, but found it hard, especially as Celestia immediately went to angrily pacing back and forth in the room.

"He knows something," she finally announced after nearly a half hour of this pacing. "He knows something, and he doesn't want us finding out!"

"Agreed," Twilight confirmed with a nod. "But how could we ever prove it, at least without causing a political incident?"

"It might just very well be worth it to do exactly that, Twilight!" Celestia retorted.

"Celestia!" Luna reprimanded, stepping forward and blocking Celestia's pacing. "We are not going to disrupt the goodwill this country has with us over this! I don't like this anymore than you do, but how will causing trouble _possibly_ help in our cause, _or_ give the prince any desire to tell us anything at all?"

" _I am simply trying to find out the truth!_ " Celestia suddenly snapped. "And that _prince_ could very well be keeping me from it!"

"I _understand_ that, Celestia," Luna assured her patiently, "but the—"

" _How could you POSSIBLY understand?_ " Celestia demanded, screaming into Luna's face suddenly. " _The ONLY reason you are even HERE is because you were the very last one to have even SEEN her! DON'T YOU_ _ **DARE**_ _STAND THERE AND PRETEND THAT YOU_ —"

She suddenly cut herself short, realizing what she was doing and clamped a hoof to her mouth. As suddenly as it had come, her anger melted away. Swiftly blinking away tears, she turned away and sank into a nearby couch.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, subdued. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that, I didn't mean to shout, I'm…I just…I want to see her again, truly see her with my own two eyes so desperately…and it has been so hard having to go _this_ long without doing so, and…and…" she trailed off and was soon quietly weeping.

The other two princesses looked on with sad expressions, having nothing to say to comfort their third companion. What _could_ they say? They had no answers themselves, and those answers were likely the only things that could comfort the irate Celestia at this point. So they kept silent and let Celestia weep until she had calmed herself down.

Wiping at her eyes with her hooves finally, sniffling, Celestia gazed up at the others. "What are we going to do now?" she asked.

Luna thought for a long moment, trying to come up with any sort of plan, but upon failing, gazed at Twilight, hoping the clever mare had come up with something. But one look at the little alicorn's crestfallen face made it clear she had not.

"I don't know," Twilight finally stated. "But I wish I did." She stopped to breathe a heavy sigh before continuing. "The best I can suggest is that we play along for the time being, then the moment we appear to be on our way again, we work at trying to sneak our way back in. Because I think you're right Celestia. _Something_ is here that the prince is, for reasons unclear to me, is trying to keep us away from. Something that might very well be key in our search."

Celestia nodded quietly, thinking this through. "Then I suppose we are in agreement," she stated. "Either way, it would appear the ball is no longer in our court, to borrow a phrase. Waiting for new developments seems to be the best option we have to us at the moment…at least the one that is also the most…peaceable."

"Starting a conflict with the Noriker Empire over this matter is not yet justified in my opinion," Luna reiterated firmly, wanting to make this abundantly clear.

This time Celestia nodded in agreement. "And of course you are correct," she said. "It is not. We do not know the reasons why the prince is keeping whatever it is hidden from us; as unfathomable as it sounds to me…he could very well have a good reason."

"Possibly one that explains why _any_ of this happened in the first place," Twilight reasoned.

Celestia continued to nod in agreement. "I do not like it," she stated, more as matter of fact than anything. "But I cannot devise a better solution at this time." She looked up at the other two princesses. "But…the day is still young. We have time to ponder the matter and possibly devise alternatives."

And so they took up positions about the suite to do exactly that, pondering their dilemma and trying to devise anything helpful pertaining to it. The hours ticked by in relative quiet, broken only once for any length of time longer than a few minutes when Celestia and Twilight engaged in a lengthy conversation attempting to puzzle out why Prince Diamant, or for that matter the whole Noriker government, would have any reason to keep anything from them at all, except for nefarious intentions which really didn't seem likely for the traditionally docile empire. Unsurprisingly to Luna, the princess of the night was not invited into the conversation. Ultimately it went nowhere anyway, and none of them were any closer to deducing some answers than before.

Except for one that Luna had permitted to flutter about in her mind.

That _she_ was already here, hidden somewhere in the city of Pinzgauer.

But Luna didn't dare suggest this possibility aloud, for fear of giving false hopes to namely Celestia, and the very last thing the princess of the day needed was to have her hopes crushed _yet again_ during this tiring quest. Luna was not certain Celestia would be able to handle it after so many previous failures.

Besides…she was fairly certain the other two had thought of this same possibility on their own already, but hadn't mentioned it for exactly the same reasons as Luna. So in a way it didn't _need_ discussing; they were already aware of it.

Eventually the day came to an end and night settled upon the capital of Noriker, but their situation had not changed. True to Prince Diamant's promise, a sizeable dinner was provided for them that they could eat and enjoy as a sign of goodwill; clearly the prince did not truly wish hard feelings upon the trio, but the feeling was still not necessarily mutual.

The meal was eaten half-heartedly and in silence. Luna ate little at all.

The night proceeded to wear on after that, spent much as they had spent their afternoon; trying to puzzle out their situation. They all stayed up as late as they could, putting off sleep in favor of added time to think. But after Twilight reached a point where she could no longer go longer than a few minutes without having to audibly yawn, Celestia conceded to the late hour and admitted that staying up any later would be more detrimental than beneficial to them. They agreed to go to bed and sleep upon the matter. Perhaps the clues they sought would reveal themselves in the morning.

They each retired to one of the separate bedchambers that ringed the suite to spend the night. Luna clambered into the bed of her bedchamber, curled into a ball, and pulled the covers tightly over her blue-furred body, but found sleep fleeting despite feeling tired. Her mind was still active, baffled by their situation and frustrated at her lust for answers that simply were not appearing. She tossed and turned for about another hour before finally settling to lie on her side and stare blankly at the wall across from her bed, letting her mind wander. Certain griefs of her own eventually managed to surface as she let her guard down, and a few times found herself silently weeping much like how Celestia had done that afternoon with the stress pushing her past her breaking point again and again as her ceaseless pondering persisted.

She was like that for some time before she heard a quiet knock at her door. Startled, she sat up and stared at the door, at first wondering if she had imagined it before hearing the knock again. Quietly she slipped out of bed and to the door, thinking perhaps Twilight was up and seeking her company. Instead, though, she found one of the castle servants standing at her door. The spotted stallion quickly bowed when she appeared.

"My apologies for awakening you, your highness," he said in a soft whisper. "And apologies for this taking place at such an unfavorable hour, but I have been asked to lead you to the royal bedchambers. Queen Elmar seeks an audience with you."

Luna blinked in surprise. "The queen?" she repeated, finding this highly unexpected for the legendarily reclusive wife of Emperor Otto. "Did she give a reason as to why?"

"She did not, your highness…but she did imply that you would understand."

But Luna didn't understand at all. Why would Queen Elmar seek audience with her, something she was not at all known for, now of all times? Especially when Prince Diamant seemed perfectly capable of handling the three Equestrian princesses himself as demonstrated this afternoon? And why at so informal and private a meeting location as royal bedchambers? Nonetheless, Luna presumed there _was_ a reason of some sort that would make itself apparent soon enough, and nodded to the servant.

"Very well," she said, slipping out of the bedchamber and closing the door quietly behind her. "I will meet with the queen."

"Very good your highness," the stallion said, bowing his head politely, before turning for the suite's exit. "If you will follow me, please."

Luna hesitated, however. She had assumed the reason why the servant had woken her up specifically was simply because her bedchamber happened to be the first one he had reached and that he would then be collecting Celestia and Twilight. "What of the others?" she inquired when this did not appear to be the case.

"The queen made it abundantly clear that she wished to speak to you only, your highness," the servant simply answered, and his expression suggested he didn't know why any more than she did.

This only heightened the mystery, as Luna could think of no immediate reason why the queen would only want her and in apparent secrecy, but rather than comment on it, she nodded and followed the servant out of the suite and into the dark hallways of the castle at night. As they quietly navigated the eerily quiet corridors, Luna used the opportunity to ponder upon the matter before her, to try and figure out an explanation for this peculiar series of events. Halfway to their destination, not long after thinking to herself that she had never even seen Queen Elmar before now due to her strong desire to keep secluded, an unexpected thought struck her that very nearly made her stumble on the staircase she was currently mounting.

 _Surely that could not be it?_ Luna thought to herself, scarcely letting herself believe it could be possible. _Not when it has been staring us in the face?_

There was only one way to find out, though. After passing back through the dark gathering chamber once more, the servant finally brought Luna before a pair of regally carved wooden doors that Luna assumed led into the royal bedchambers as promised. Once there, the servant immediately stood aside and took up position next to the doors.

"Queen Elmar is waiting for you inside," the servant explained, revealing that this meeting would indeed be in private, between just Luna and the elusive queen.

Luna stared at the doors for a moment, suddenly feeling butterflies stir in her belly, then inhaled a sharp breath to try and calm her nerves before pushing open one of the double doors and letting herself slip inside. Peeking around the bedchambers, she found it dark save for a solitary lamp that burned on a small side table as well as the moonlight that shone in through a window on the far wall. It was also seemingly empty, but a doorway near the window led to another hidden room. Luna assumed the queen was in there.

Slowly, she shut the door behind her before facing the room fully. "Queen Elmar?" she called quietly.

She heard a stirring in the other room before the sound of hoofsteps echoed out, and then all at once, the queen was before her, standing in a ray of moonlight and regarding Luna with quiet curiosity…and Luna, humbly shocked, saw for herself that her sudden suspicions about the queen had been right.

She stood before Luna tall and regally, her alicorn horn long and pointed and her wings folded neatly on either side of her lean barrel. Her flowing mane was tied neatly into a braid behind her head and spiraled down past her shoulders. Her tail was similarly braided, but not as tightly. A stylized crest sat about her neck, showing that despite the late hour she still wore her regalia. She gazed at Luna with wide cyan eyes that were filled with a sense of apprehension but quenchless curiosity. They were eyes that Luna knew well.

The moment she had appeared before her, Luna stooped down into an immediate and polite bow, before gazing up at the queen. When Luna addressed her, she addressed her by the name _she_ knew the proclaimed queen best by:

"Hello Princess Luna."

The other Luna gazed at her for a long moment in silence, looking to be seeking the right words with which to respond. "I apologize for the deception," she finally stated.

The first Luna straightened. "I think you owe a bit more than that," she stated firmly.

"That is largely why I had you summoned."

"But _only_ me?"

"Celestia is not to know of this. Not one word."

"It is because of Celestia that we are even _here_."

"Is it really? Because I assumed you would have a great many things to ask that only _I_ could answer."

The first Luna hesitated and bowed her head, unable to argue the point. The other Luna used the chance to move closer, looking her duplicate over with a fascinated expression.

"I had forgotten just how precise the resemblance is," she whispered, running a hoof across the cheek of the first Luna. She did not resist the other's touch. "It really _is_ uncanny." She then withdrew her hoof and sighed. "I trust Celestia knows it is false?"

"Quite."

"May I ask how?"

"An accident while Twilight was demonstrating defensive magic. It broke the spell."

The other Luna nodded slowly. "Ah yes, the little prodigy." She tilted her head, curious. "And yet you still maintain the spell, despite the secret being out?" she remarked.

The first Luna's eyes narrowed. "We've discovered that other ponies generally don't take well to being in the presence of a changeling."

The other Luna closed her eyes and sighed. "Point taken," she conceded. She looked at the changeling in disguise. "You…seem to be taking it well."

The first Luna scowled. "More like I know how to hide my emotions well." She advanced suddenly on the other Luna. "You do _realize_ what it is like to one day suddenly discover you are _not_ the pony you thought you were? Or even a pony at _all_ , for that matter? And absolutely no explanations as to _how_ and no means of learning from the _mare responsible?_ "

The other Luna made a sad frown, the expression deepened by the dim light of the moonlight shining on half of her cobalt face. "I know you must be horribly confused by all of this, and I fully acknowledge that I have you in my debt for all of this, Pietas."

The first Luna pulled back slightly, still scowling, but her brow now furrowed with puzzlement. "Pietas," she repeated.

"It is your given name." Luna averted her gaze. "Although I am aware you would have no recollection of that now because of our little…charade." She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, as if clearing her thoughts. "But I am getting ahead of myself. I am sure you have more pressing questions than that you want answered."

The disguised changeling snorted and looked away for a moment. She _did_ have a whole flood of questions crowding up in her throat that she wanted answers to, but didn't know where to start. The question that finally hurled itself past her lips was the easiest to ask, but would be the hardest to answer. " _Why?_ "

"Why did I leave and go to such lengths to keep it secret from all, even my sister?" The other Luna bowed her head, as if ashamed. "Because I needed to move on," she answered in a soft, gentle, voice. "My place was no longer in Equestria. Home though it was, I was just going through the motions there, keeping me from…growing. And I knew that if I left, things would keep progressing just fine without me. There was a time long ago when the diarchy my sister and I had formed was absolutely necessary…when just the smallest of things could send the whole country into disarray and would require more than one ruler to set it right again. But that time has long since passed and I do not see it coming back. There was no real need to keep me there anymore."

"So you just…left."

"Yes."

"When?"

"Incidentally, one thousand, five hundred and seventy-six years to the day."

"You've…you've been counting?"

"…it felt like it needed to be done."

"So then…Nightmare Moon…that was all…?"

The other Luna nodded sadly. "I am sorry. To this day I am not entirely certain what transpired to cause that to happen to you and can only speculate. However, changelings are extremely social creatures, more so than ponies even, so there could be truth in the oft rumored fact that you felt you were being ignored…but considering the dark magics involved, I also refuse to believe it was any _real_ fault of your own."

"That is the _least_ of my concerns at the moment. I'm more concerned about _you_ and why you did what you did."

"It is because of precisely what I said it to be. I simply moved on and ultimately came here."

"But if that is all true, then why all the subterfuge and artifice?"

"Because Celestia did not see it that way. She insisted I had important role to play still, and that the ponies we ruled over still needed me in their lives. In reality, she simply did not want to let me go off on my own without her protection. She did not, would not, see the truth, and that I was slowly becoming neglected…overlooked…because of it." The other Luna bowed her head. "Celestia's heart was in the right place…but she was ignoring the fact that I needed more. So I took it upon myself to find it."

"And stuffed me in your place so no pony would realize you had actually left."

The other Luna made a solemn nod. "Otherwise Celestia would have only hunted me down and brought me back. As she wishes to do now. This is why she must _not_ find me, or know anything of this. Nothing has changed."

" _Everything_ has changed," the first Luna stated. "She knows you are hiding from her, and she will _not_ stop seeking until you are found. You will not be able to remain hidden forever…and the longer you hide yourself away, the more damage you do. And Celestia will have _nothing_ to do with me, because she knows I am a _fake_. She and Twilight both look at me like…like _I'm_ some unsightly abomination not worth their time. I do not _belong_ there anymore than you seem to think you do." The changeling advanced upon the hiding princess of the night again. "And what about _me_? Do I not get a say in this? The pony—no, _changeling_ —you just grabbed off the street, took away _everything_ she knew about herself, dressed her up as yourself so to serve as your puppet _stand-in_ while you went off _gallivanting?!_ I don't even know _WHO I AM!_ I had _thought_ I was _you_ until the accident with Twilight's spell, but now I know I'm not even THAT! Because you _destroyed_ everything that I was just because you were _selfish_ and _discontent!_ I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I'VE LOST BECAUSE I HAVE NOTHING! I'M _NOTHING!_ _ **NOTHING BECAUSE OF YOU!**_ "

There was plenty more the confused doppelganger wanted to rant on about, but her emotions finally overwhelmed her and she sank to the floor in tears, weeping pitifully at the hooves of the mare she believed responsible for her woes. The original simply stood there and watched, awestruck while digesting the unexpected outburst.

"Is _that_ what you think?" the other Luna breathed finally, shocked by the outburst.

The first Luna's head jolted up in surprise and stared at the mare she had been unknowingly mimicking for so long. "What do you mean?"

"Pietas…it was all _your_ idea."

The other went wide-eyed. "My— _my_ id—" the changeling couldn't even get herself to repeat it, stunned by this revelation. Never in this whole time she'd had been given to dwell on her true nature and her mysterious past had she stopped to even consider it had been in any way voluntary. "You truly mean to say that I… _wanted_ this?"

"You _demanded_ it. I had wanted to talk you out of it, fearing that precisely this would happen, that we would both later live to regret it…but you insisted. And…I caved in." Luna dropped down in front of her double and lovingly lifted the disguised changeling's chin with one hoof. "I am _deeply_ sorry for my weakness, Pietas. I cannot convey that enough, but I wish to try. I owe you at least that much. I see now it had only caused you much more pain we had either dared to consider. I should have refused…insisted we find another way. I should have _never_ given in to your demands while you were at your own lowest point."

The first Luna simply stared at true Luna though, clearly shell-shocked by this whole idea. "Lowest point," she whispered to herself. "But I don't understand…why would I want this?"

"You of course have no recollection of why. That was the whole point for you." Luna looked away for a moment, again looking guilty, and now Pietas had a renewed understanding and respect as to why. "Pietas…tell me…I suspect your knowledge will be limited, but…what do you know about changelings?"

"Changelings?" Ironically, the changeling wrinkled her snout in disgust at the very thought of her own species. "Only that they're— _we're_ —vampiric insectoid creatures that feast off the emotions, namely love, of innocent ponies instead of food, without restraint if not stopped, and are sworn enemies to ponies everywhere, especially after the attack at Cadance's wedding."

Luna nodded sadly. "Ah yes, Chrysalis's little siege on Canterlot," she mused aloud. "A day that rightly lives in infamy, and if that is all you had to perceive of changelings, I cannot blame you for having such distasteful and bias views. But let me assure you that Chrysalis and her hive are giving their race a bad name and are rightfully a disgrace to changelings everywhere."

"What are you saying?"

"Changelings are _not_ the monsters you believe them to be. They are intelligent and inventive creatures, and are ultimately more interested in a prosperous life than to cause harm to another. At their height, they were a civilization to behold, but unfortunately, unwise and greedy radicals such as Chrysalis arose and destroyed all of that and have brought the changelings to civil war ever since. Because of that, it has left the lands of the changelings in a constant state of famine, making it difficult to find enough emotion to live healthy lives. Otherwise they would take no more emotion than they need from ponies and would be no harm to anypony. Pietas, you should have realized this by now, but as a changeling, you have never needed pony foods, only emotion, and yet have long had your fill without anypony ever noticing. A testament to the true docile nature of changelings. They are not animals or abominations. They are simply different. But different isn't a bad thing."

The changeling before her was quiet for a long moment, looking ashamed to have doubted this. "They are not like that now."

"That you have encountered, and do keep in mind that in recent history, Equestria has only encountered Chrysalis's hive, which is, again, a poor representation of their race. There are plenty of other hives that lead very different lives, and certainly not like the more barbaric lifestyles Chrysalis has foolishly enforced on her hive."

"…does this mean I have a hive, then?"

Luna hung her head and avoided eye contact. "You did, once. But that's all gone now, destroyed in civil war a long time ago. You were the only apparent survivor. That is actually how we came to meet. When I found you, you were a pitiful mess…lost, alone, hungry…you had little cause left to live. I took you under my wing and nursed you back to health. Yet you were forever haunted by the changelings you knew and loved who had been lost…it was tearing you apart. And so when we got to talking about how I was seeking to slip away from Equestria…" she trailed off, not seeing a need to finish the statement.

The other Luna gazed blankly off into the distance, her mind visibly whirring away behind her eyes as she worked to process and come to terms with all of this. "So I volunteered to take your place…have my memory wiped…"

"…and my own memories put in their place, excepting the ones that would have given away the deception, yes. You had claimed at the time that you were just repaying me for all the good I had done for you…that replacing your memories with my own would only insure success for the illusion we were creating and at the time I allowed myself to be swayed by that…but I had always known it was only because you wanted to rid yourself of the massive pain your felt for the loss of your hive." Luna gazed at her doppelganger, saw she still looked glazed and distant, and pulled her close in a comforting hug. "Again, I am sorry for relenting to doing that to you, Pietas. I cannot apologize enough for it. In many ways you are correct…I _did_ destroy everything you had once been by wiping your memory and replacing them with my own…and I confess now that I had always regretted it, felt it was wrong deep down. But you had just seemed so… _happy_ afterwards…the burden was gone and you were free again…you deserved that much, at the very least."

Tears seeped freely from the disguised changeling's eyes as she continued to gaze blankly into the distance. "It is not your fault. I think I see now that, if anything, it is my own fault over anypony else's. You…you were only being a friend and doing as I asked…and from what you've told me…perhaps I needed that more." She squeeze her eyes shut as she thought about a whole hive of changelings, friend and family she had no doubt loved dearly and had undoubtedly seen all die before her eyes…and now couldn't even remember any of them by her own choice. She began to weep, her voice croaking as she continued. "But what kind of creature wants to forget everything they had once known and loved?"

Luna rested her head upon hers and hugged her tighter, trying to reassure her friend and cohort in their ill-advised scheme. "One that is desperate for the pain to stop," she whispered.

They were quiet for a long time after that, huddled together in the dark room with the moonlight of the night shining through the window and down upon them.

"We both really butchered this all up, didn't we?" the changeling remarked aloud.

Luna nodded, agreeing. "But I'm afraid we can't undo it now. What has been done has been done, and there is no returning back to how things once were. We must accept that and keep going." She sighed, and managed to grin. "Besides…we have both moved on in our lives, obtained things we cannot just give up. After leaving Equestria, I eventually came here, to Pinzgauer…wedded Emperor Otto…became queen…became a _mother_ …I have family and children of my own now, you know. Ponies who look up to me, need me to watch over them. I am needed here in the Noriker Empire. I cannot just leave." She turned the head of her double so she could look the mare in the eye. "Plus, I have been watching you from afar, Pietas. Despite Nightmare Moon, you have achieved much on your own too and made my former life your own life. You have achieved things I had never done, many of which just recently." Her grin grew. "In many ways, you have been a better princess of the night than I ever was. A better Luna, I daresay. And I already and foolishly stripped you away from your life once before. I will _not_ do that to you again. That is why when I learned from my son, the prince, that you were here and had seemed to have at long last found out our secret, I called you here so we could speak and explain to you what had happened. And that is why Celestia cannot know _any_ of this. Because while she again means well, she would only intervene and cause trouble for us both…if not strip us both away from the lives we have managed to create for ourselves in a desperate attempt to recreate what she thinks she's lost and must restore."

"But that is the problem," the doppelganger murmured, peering into the eyes of her twin. "She has lost something from her life as well, and the knowledge of that is bringing her great pain." She pulled away from Luna suddenly, but calmly placed a warm hoof on the princess of the night's shoulder. "I understand better now what has happened and I think I can accept that. I do not blame you any longer, nor see it any error of yours…but I humbly thank you for your courtesy for your desire to not put me through it again and for your forethought to give me closure on the matter." She bit her lip briefly, feeling her emotions be stirred up again at the very thought of the whole situation, but she knew she needed now to keep them at bay, and continued on unwavering. "But why is Celestia exempt from the same sort of treatment you are giving me now? She is suffering, and whether we like it or not it is because of both of our actions. But instead of working to make amends, you are suggesting we both continue to harm her."

Luna winced at the bluntness of her double's words. "We do not have a choice. If she knew the truth…"

"You do not _know_ what she would do, you only _fear_ what she _might_ do. Right now she is being rash and reckless, but it is because she does not understand why this has happened, and why you have taken yourself from her. If she knew the truth…I am certain she would understand."

"How can you be so certain of that?"

"You no longer know her like I do. I have been around her more recently." Now it was the changeling's turn to reassure the original. "She has changed, Luna. She has already lost you once before when I was banished to the moon and it made her realize just how much your needs mean to you, to _us_ …and how much _you_ mean to her. She misses you greatly and she _loves_ you greatly, as any good sister should." The duplicate's brow furrowed in concern. "She does not understand why you would take yourself away from that. She thinks she has failed you."

Luna was silent for a moment as she processed this. "Perhaps she has," she admitted simply.

"And you are not willing to give her the chance to make amends? To learn from her past mistakes?"

Luna closed her eyes, trying to hold back tears of her own. "It is already too late for that," she said.

"Is it?"

"How could we know?"

"We will not…until one of us tries."

"…I am still afraid she will only rip us both away from our lives to favor her own wishes."

"Perhaps that is not so different from what we both did to her already by conducting our ruse in the first place."

"It would be just of her to do it back, then."

"No. It would not. You know it is not." The other Luna ran her hoof soothingly through the braids of the original. "And I think she will too."

"But what if she does not?"

"We will teach her, then. But either way…I feel we owe her this much. She deserves to know the truth just as much as we both do." The hooded form of the other Luna looked down for a moment, debating inwardly, before gazing back up into the eyes of her double to continue speaking. "You had noted earlier that I had come to Pinzgauer looking for answers, and I will not deny that there is truth to that. But the real reason I am here is first and foremost I wanted to help Celestia find peace. Because I can see how much this is all hurting her and I do not wish that continue. Do you?"

Luna shook her head. "Of course I do not."

"Then meet with her. Tell her what you have told me. And think of what that would mean for you too. You said you have a life of your own here, with a family of your own, but are you truly getting to enjoy it? Queen Elmar is the queen famous for been so reclusive and shy of the spotlight…I know now you have been doing that so to avoid bringing attention to yourself, for fear what trouble it might bring with it. But wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to not have to worry about that? To be able to go freely into the world without fear of discovery? To truly live your newfound life to the fullest?" The changeling watched the expression of the other Luna closely. "You have brought closure for me. So please, allow me to do the same for you by listening to me. Tell Celestia the truth."

Luna still seemed hesitant, her gaze turning away to stare at the floor. "What if I cannot make her see reason? What if you are wrong?"

"I cannot deny that might still happen. As much as I wish to claim otherwise, I never could, because I am not Celestia. But I do know her well. And doubts will never be resolved until you take that step of faith and challenge them."

Luna smiled. "You are wiser and more capable than you give yourself credit for, Pietas."

Her double returned the grin. "As are you, Luna."

Luna took in a deep breath, closing her eyes and she left the breath out again through her nose in a nerve-soothing sigh. "All right," she conceded. "I have until tomorrow morning. I will…consider it." She glanced at her double. "Unless you wish to tell her yourself."

The other Luna shook her head, having already considered this possibility. "As much as I would like to, I do not believe she would listen to me alone. I would have no way to prove I am being truthful." She paused, studying her double's face, trying to determine her thoughts, but Luna had turned distant and unreadable as her mind turned inward to ponder on all of this. The double then gazed past the alicorn in hiding and at the moon shining through the window, noting its position. "It is getting late," she observed, standing up suddenly and stretching. "I should still try to sleep some tonight or I will not be able to arise in the morning as needed." She turned back to the queen of the land, who had not moved. "At any rate though…thank you for finally coming forward to me and at least explaining the truth to me. It has…brought me a better understanding of your— _our_ —situation." She grinned as she found her heart and mind clear of troubles. "And it has put me at peace, knowing why I am where I am."

Luna looked at her changeling double and grinned as well, a grin that was a mixture of sadness, happiness, and pride. "It has for me as well," she admitted.

The changeling held out a hoof to Luna. "To better times, then."

Luna took it and shook it. "To better times, indeed."

They gave their final farewells, now companions and friends once more. The disguised changeling found herself hoping one day they could meet and visit again, this time on more on personal terms rather than business, and socialize as the friends they both wished to be. But these were thoughts to pursue for another day. Coming to terms with each other was only the beginning; much remained unresolved in the matter still. But that was out of her control; it was up to the original Luna now. She hoped the alicorn would trust her and come forward to Celestia, but at the same time, knew she could not force her to. It would be no fairer than if Luna really had forced the changeling into the ruse unwillingly; like Luna had done with her, this must be something Luna had to choose to do and she must respect that choice, whatever it might be.

She parted ways from the posing queen of Noriker wondering what she might choose, and still feeling some fear that Luna might still choose to bury her head and allow the ruse to continue. The changeling posing as her feared what consequences may ensue should she do so and feared they would not be good. Despite those worries, the duplicate found the weight of her troubles lifted and lightened considerably from the chat with the queen, because now she had a better understanding of what had happened to lead to all of this. Not all of it was good, and the other Luna was still troubled by large portions of it. It was probable she would continue to do so for months to years to come. But it was better than not knowing at all, and so when she had returned once more to her bed in her room, she found that this time sleep came both quick and freely and rested peacefully for the remainder of the night.

Celestia, however, was in a much more crestfallen attitude come the following morning.

"I don't want to leave," she murmured aloud as she and the other two Equestrian ponies prepared to leave the castle for the train that would take them back to their homeland as planned for them the day previous. "We're onto something here. I can feel it."

"I know," Twilight replied, stifling a yawn. The younger alicorn had clearly not slept well. "I kept tossing and turning all night, trying to figure out a way to stay here just a little longer…but I couldn't come up with any possibilities that wouldn't also cause trouble, and potentially ruin Equestria's reputation with Noriker, and really don't think the political fallout from that would be worth it."

Celestia didn't respond and instead averted her gaze. It was clear to the rest of the trio that she was again considering whether or not the aftermath of such a political upheaval was really true but was afraid to admit it, knowing the others disagreed. Twilight gazed at her sadly, before turning to Luna, standing nearby, silently hoping for additional support.

The disguised changeling gazed into the bag of scant supplies she was packing for a moment, gathering her thoughts, before sighing. "Celestia, I do not know what the future will bring," she confessed slowly. "Nor do I know what the best solution to our problem here is. But…" She closed her eyes, to keep the tears forming in them from coming forth. "…I have been thinking long and hard about this during the night, and…and I think that, for whatever reason the rulers of Noriker are hiding what they are from us is not for nefarious intentions…and that they ultimately mean well…if perhaps misguided." She blinked a few times to clear her eyes from tears and inhaled a refreshing breath to build her courage and faith in her words. "Perhaps instead of trying to force their hand…we should trust them to make the right choice on their own…and that perhaps, one day, we will find what you seek, Celestia, and the final closure that will bring us all."

She fell quiet for a moment, gazing into the depths of her bag in thought, before realizing nopony else had moved or spoken and turned to see Celestia gazing at her, with a warm look of familiarity that made Luna's heart pound. It was not a look she had seen Celestia give her since their discovery of her true nature and was surprised to see it appear so suddenly. She was even more surprised when Celestia abruptly but slowly approached her and embraced her in a warm hug.

"Perhaps you are right," the white alicorn murmured aloud. "Maybe…maybe I just need a little more faith…like you clearly have." She squeezed a little tighter. "Thank you, Luna."

The disguised changeling blinked as she was again surprised. Both Twilight or Celestia had been greatly hesitant to refer to her by that name since discovering her true nature, and both had been very careful not to do so wherever possible, especially in private conversation. "I am not Luna," she gently reminded.

Celestia pulled out of the hug and looked at her with a faintly sad expression. "I know…but I have been forgetting that you are seeking for just as much as I am and stand to lose just as much should this search…fail. I have not been treating you as an equal…" She hung her head, ashamed. "…and that is not fair. You did not ask to be put into this position any more than I have, and I must apologize for not recognizing that or acknowledging it for most of this quest."

Luna glanced at Twilight, quietly watching the conversation, but respectfully keeping out of it, before looking back at Celestia. "You have just cause to," she pointed out to the princess of the day. "I can hide it…but there is still no denying that I am no pony like you. I am…alien…to you."

Celestia hesitated then looked Luna in the eye again. "…that's not it, actually," she confessed. "I never meant to disrespect. It's just…" she blinked back tears for a moment. "…even without the disguise…you remind me so very much of her."

The blue alicorn hung her head for a moment. "I do not mean to replace her, Celestia," she stated truthfully. "Actually…I would rather just be accepted for who and what I am."

Celestia nodded, grinning a little, patting the other alicorn on the shoulder with one hoof. "Something we can both work on for the future," she agreed.

A long moment of silence fell as they stood about awkwardly, unsure how to proceed except to continue to stand and enjoy the peace of the moment, until Twilight interrupted, clearing her throat.

"I'm sorry to interrupt and ruin the moment," she said aloud. Luna glanced at her and saw she was smiling warmly at what she saw, though. "But we are expected to leave on that train in another thirty minutes."

"Right, of course," Celestia said, and turned to finish gathering her things.

They all did, and proceeded in silence. But Luna took comfort in the fact that she could sense a change in their attitudes towards each other, and it was a good change.

As they proceeded to exit the suite and proceed through the corridors of the castle however, traveling along with a small escort that was part royal guard and part servant, some of the gloomy attitude returned to Celestia. "I still wish we could stay," she reiterated.

"Unfortunately, I do not think we will have a choice," Twilight remarked, eying the guard closest to her. The escort behaved like they were only being courteous and friendly, but it was clear to them all that they were there to insure the trio of princesses actually left as planned and did not cause any trouble trying to stay.

Celestia only sighed and didn't answer for a moment. "I just can feel it," she said aloud. "I don't know how, but I can feel it…she's nearby. I feel like I am closer to her here than I have ever been before."

 _You do not know how true that is, Celestia,_ the disguised changeling beside her thought to herself. She thought about the real Luna, somewhere in the castle, still posing as Queen Elmar, and was slowly coming to the realization that she was not going to come forward and reveal her true nature to Celestia. The thought saddened her. After the conversation while they were packing, the false Luna was now more sure than ever that Celestia would understand and at least respect the situation, but she knew of no way to make the original see that. She was tempted to forgo the deception further and just come forward and tell all to Celestia then and there.

But doing so didn't feel right. As she had said the night previous, this was no longer her choice to make, it was the true princess of the night's decision.

They proceeded down a small staircase towards the castle's front doors, Celestia looking increasingly bitter and withdrawn the closer they got to them. "I suppose we aren't going to even get a proper send off by even the prince, then," she remarked aloud upon noting Prince Diamant was absent, looking like she was reluctantly conceding to their forced departure and now just wanted to get it over with. "That is probably for the better, anyway. I do not know if I could keep a…civil tongue…in his presence any longer."

The other two princesses exchanged glances with each other at this comment, but chose not to respond to it as they came to a stop at the front doors, waiting for the guards to exchange orders and receive clearance to open them so to depart.

"Perhaps it _is_ time for that reprieve we spoke of yesterday," Celestia continued on as they waited. "Perhaps going back to Equestria and back into the usual routine would help me to…clear my mind. Calm down a little. Prepare to try again."

"It's worth a try, princess," Twilight offered encouragingly, pleased by this suggestion, clearly thinking it was the most peaceable, and thereby logical, thing they could do for now.

The guards finished their discussion and proceeded to open the doors, when they were interrupted.

"Wait!" a servant called out as she suddenly appeared at the top of the staircase they had descended just moments earlier. "Before you depart, Queen Elmar wishes to speak with you!"

Luna felt her heart jolt in surprise and hope at this proclamation, and immediately froze, scarcely daring to believe it to be true.

Twilight was also surprised. "The _queen_?" she whispered aloud, knowing of the queen's famed desire for seclusion and that such an appearance before guests was extremely rare for her.

Celestia, however, groaned. "Whatever for? We are already leaving at _their_ behest," she grumbled. "We are clearly not welcome. What does she intend to say? Remind us of all of that? No, I do not wish to drag this out any longer than it already has."

Luna, however, caught sight of Twilight glancing behind them then suddenly do a double-take, her eyes growing wide. Luna followed her gaze up at the pony that now stood at the top of the stairs, for all to see, and found herself grinning.

"Celestia…" Twilight began slowly.

"No, I have decided," Celestia adamantly pressed, keeping herself faced at the door and turned to one of the guards. "You will please open these doors immediately and not delay us further. We have a train to catch, after all."

"Yes, but, Celestia…" Twilight said again, urgently tugging on the hem of the sun princess's cloak with her hoof.

"I _know_ it is not civil or polite to just _leave_ when we have been asked to wait Twilight," Celestia intoned as she misinterpreted the littler alicorn's flustered speaking. "But I am not in the mood and do not have the patience for this game any longer. Either we are leaving or staying, and I _highly_ doubt it is the latter at this point."

The false Luna attempted to intervene. "Celestia…" she said soothingly, placing a hoof on the alicorn's withers.

"Will you please open the doors?" Celestia asked the guards again, who had not moved, with increased venom. "We have been asked to leave…thereby, we will leave, post haste."

It was then that a new voice spoke. "Please stay."

The changeling named Pietas felt Celestia's muscles tense under her hoof as the day princess froze. Slowly, she glanced at the disguised blue alicorn beside her with wide, questioning eyes. Grinning softly, false alicorn shook her head slowly to say it was not her who had spoken and motioned behind them at the staircase. Slowly, Celestia turned, tense and looking to be afraid to believe it could be so. Her jaw slowly opened ajar, however, as she gazed up at the pony that stood behind her at the top of the stairs.

She looked exactly as Pietas had seen her the night previous, so much so the changeling wondered if she had ever changed or if she had been up all night, debating. If she had been, she hid it extremely well as she stood there proud, tall, and above all confident. It was clear the blue alicorn had made her choice and she would not turn back now.

Celestia gazed up at her in silence for a long moment, at a loss for words as tears of joy seeped into her eyes. " _Luna_ ," she finally breathed.

The true princess of the night made a sad but warm grin. "Hello sister."


End file.
